Authors

"Smart entrepreneurs are always on the hunt for ways to grow their businesses," writes Sonia Thompson (photo, left) in a piece at BusinessInsider.com.

"That's one of the reasons why they'll try to pick the brains of successful business owners. They want to learn the success secrets, or the one or two magic tactics that will make all the positive difference in their results.

"Over the past two years, I did a lot of that brain picking for you while interviewing 147 different entrepreneurs. One of the key things I wanted to tease out were their keys to success."

According to Helen Rothberg (photo, left), "Over the past 25 years, I've coached a mix of executives in for profit and not-for-profit companies like Kellogg's, Monsanto, SoCalGas, Newark City Government, The United Way, IBM, and AT&T. I've been in board rooms with people fretting about decreases in market share, swirling about regulatory agencies, and agonizing about visions for a tomorrow they don't quite understand. Along with getting paid to calm their nerves, there are a few common themes I've noticed that keep popping up that are helpful for everyone, from the C-Suite to the junior staffers."

"This [past] fall, Nordstrom opened a new store in West Hollywood, Calif., called Nordstrom Local, that didn’t actually stock clothes you can buy. Instead, you can get manicures, try on clothes, talk to stylists and consultants about fashion, and meet with friends over coffee or perhaps a glass of Pinot Grigio (yes, there’s a bar). If you want to buy something, it’ll be available for same-day pickup or delivery."

"As bizarre as the concept might seem, it’s likely a glimpse into the way many stores will soon function. . . ."

". . . If “fast-paced environment” appears anywhere in your job descriptions or on the careers section of your website, you need to think a lot harder about what you want to say to future employees. Here’s why–and what to put in its place."

"This is an interesting tactic from the retailer, and one that makes a lot of sense from a behavioral perspective. It takes advantage of the scarcity heuristic — the notion that people are likely to perceive something as more valuable if it is hard to obtain, whether that’s down to a restricted quantity or time to purchase. Here, Yoox, Google, and Stink Studios, who worked on the ads together, are using time as the forceful factor."

"Getting out of debt can feel overwhelming. The first step is to organize yourself so that you can plan out exactly how to get yourself to financial stability. Lauren Lyons Cole [photo, left], a certified financial planner and senior editor at Business Insider, explains the first steps you should take to attack your debt. Following is a transcript of the video."